Barbie: Inspirational Role Model or Toxic Influence?
Examining the Different Opinions on the New Barbie Movie
We have all known girls who have grown up playing with Barbie. In some cases, we were those very girls. Whether or not Barbie had a place on our playroom shelves, her influence has touched the lives of most Americans. Few toys in our culture can boast of having their very own aisle at Walmart or of being the star of dozens upon dozens of animated movies. Without a doubt, Barbie has had a strong influence on the values and culture of young girls in our society, but with the recent release of the new Barbie movie, there has been renewed interest in whether that role has been positive — or exceedingly damaging — in shaping our youth’s worldview. In many ways, Barbie has pushed against the restraints of conventional norms, introducing children to a world of new possibilities for their futures. But is this still the case? Or has Barbie lost her way and become toxic? In the film’s efforts to denounce “toxic masculinity,” some say the movie gives the appearance of promoting just the opposite — toxic femininity. Others argue that the Barbie movie has breathed new life into Barbie’s longstanding crusade for equal rights for women. Against the background of these conflicting opinions, one thing remains the same: Barbie is loved and revered by young girls worldwide.
A Brief Recap of Barbie’s History
In order to understand the current views about the Barbie movie, one must first understand Barbie’s origin and the role she has played over the past sixty years. Brynn Holland, an author for History, explains that when Barbie was first introduced in 1959, she was designed to reflect the glitz and glamor of Hollywood’s most notable actresses. The 1960s was an era that brought rapid cultural change in America, and Barbie was determined not to be left behind. According to Holland, while Americans were filling their imaginations with hopes of a lunar landing, Barbie set foot on the moon four years prior to Neil Armstrong’s achievement. After a long fight to eliminate institutional racism and segregation in America, according to Holland, Barbie set an example to young people in America with the release of her first friend, Christie, who was African American. William H. Young, in the Encyclopedia of American Studies, states that in a further act of modeling social equality, the first black Barbie was released in 1980.
As women began entering the workforce in greater numbers throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Barbie was quick to match their ambition. According to an article in The Washington Post by Maura Judkis and Shelly Tan, over the course of her lifetime, Barbie has held hundreds of different careers, encompassing the fields of science, medicine, athletics, education, emergency services, and more. Holland shares that by the time Hillary Clinton ran for president in 2016, Barbie had already pursued that office in seven prior elections, setting an expectation among young girls that the Office of the President was a dream available to them also. Between the years of 2012 and 2016, Barbie was hard at work making sure she represented and was an advocate for all girls, not just the ones who resembled her physically. Holland also describes that during these years, Mattel released a bald Barbie who had undergone chemotherapy and created Barbies with a wide range of physical attributes. Throughout all of these years, the overriding message of Barbie has been that girls truly can be anything.
What is Toxicity? A Look at Both Sides
Understanding both sides of this debate requires understanding the meaning of the terms toxic masculinity and toxic femininity. Following the release of the Barbie movie, some critics have claimed Barbie’s message has changed, citing the promotion of toxic femininity. According to Michael Flood, a Professor of Sociology, others have held the movie up as an effective critique of toxic masculinity. Flood explains that while the term toxic masculinity was used in various contexts as early as the 1980s, it took on a new meaning in 2015. As stated by Flood, the feminist movement adopted the term as a rebuke against stereotypical male qualities, such as violence, aggression, and control. According to Karrin Anderson, an author for The Conversation, it was a term meant to summarize the sexism and arrogance perceived by some to be a flaw in a patriarchal society that excludes women from equality. In short, the term toxic masculinity has been used to try to draw attention to a cultural issue of inequality that some groups find significant.
In contrast, toxic femininity is a newer term that is a little more ambiguous in its meaning. Anderson noted that in some cases, it’s been used to describe women who behave in a submissive and subservient way to dominant “toxic men,” while others have used the term as a feminine counterpart to toxic masculinity. In the latter case, Anderson describes that some feel toxic femininity represents women who are hostile toward men and display overbearing and domineering behaviors toward them. By its very nature, the term toxic evokes images of individuals who behave in a way that is not conducive to a peaceful, harmonious, and equal society.
Critics of the Barbie Movie
By comparing and contrasting reviews for the Barbie movie, a broader comprehension of how people perceive the movie can be reached. Critics of the film were quick to make their perspectives known on social media platforms and online journals. Ben Shapiro, a social and political commentator, concludes that the primary theme of the movie is that men and women despise each other and are unable, under any circumstances, to live together peacefully in society. Shapiro comes to this conclusion when Barbie’s world is depicted as being ideal, with women having access to all the privileges and men being left homeless and disregarded. Further, Shapiro feels the movie was inappropriate for children because of sexual jokes made throughout the film, such as references to Barbie’s vagina, Ken’s “nude blob,” and the Kens wanting to “beach each other off.” Piers Morgan, a journalist for the New York Post, believes the movie channels the message of “feminazis,” who utilize toxic femininity as a strategy to overcome what they perceive to be an oppressive, dominating patriarchal male society. Morgan sees Barbie’s world as an attempt to convince viewers that the only appropriate place for men is to be inferior subjects in a world led by women since men in the movie may not own homes or participate in any leadership roles. Toby Young, a journalist and commentator, identifies that in the movie men who hold positions of leadership are violent and oppressive, such as when the executives at Mattel try to capture Barbie and put her in a box. In contrast, Young believes when women oppressed men in Barbie Land by not allowing them equal rights and privileges, this was seen as an act of heroism despite also being an example of toxic femininity. These critics all shared a common view that the Barbie movie portrayed unhealthy examples of toxic femininity.
Fans of The Barbie Movie
While some critics saw flaws in the message of the movie, others upheld it as a message of empowerment to young girls and women. According to Jennifer Stokes, a Senior Lecturer in Digital and Information Literacy, the Barbie movie draws attention to persisting gender inequality in our society in a way that uses humor rather than a harsh rebuke. Stokes believes it was a light-hearted message that could be positively received by viewers and point viewers to a subtle awareness of changes that can be made in our society to improve the standing of women. Stokes feels the powerful leadership in Barbie Land is meant to give girls a vision of the greater leadership roles they can achieve, even in areas traditionally dominated by men in the real world. Stokes points out that this is seen in the all-female Supreme Court and in other professional roles held by women. Stokes views the message of this movie as one designed to push young girls beyond the mindset of accepting traditional stereotypes and to develop a broader vision of what they are able to accomplish. Aside from this message, Benjamin VanHoose, an author for People Magazine, finds the greatest value of the movie in its fun and playful casting, choreography, and nostalgia. In essence, these proponents of the Barbie movie praise Barbie for upholding her message that girls can be anything.
More of Barbie’s Cultural Influence
Regardless of potential backlash by those who don't approve of the Barbie movie, merchandizers and social influencers have seen great value in using the Barbie franchise to promote their products and themselves. Notable stores like Old Navy, Hot Topic, Forever 21, GAP, and PacSun have all introduced Barbie-themed clothing that includes sayings from the movie, such as “I am Kenough” and “Mojo Dojo Casa House.” This type of merchandise has become so popular that independent merchandisers on Amazon and Esty are beginning to produce their own versions of these items in order to earn profits. Meme makers on the internet are using the Barbie movie to gain notoriety for themselves by creating Barbie-themed memes to relate to situations in the real world.
According to Shomini Sen, an author for Wion, one particular meme that has been shared and recreated repeatedly is one where influencers photoshop images of other celebrities into the Barbie poster and create a similar message on the poster to highlight something significant or funny about that celebrity. Fast-food restaurants caught on to the popularity of this trend and began using the same meme-like format to advertise their food. Based on these trends, it is evident that the influence of the Barbie movie has gone beyond that of simple household opinions and has had a significant influence on our social media culture.
What's Next?
Despite the wide range of perspectives, the Barbie movie has proven itself to be well-received, having netted hundreds of millions of dollars in its opening weekend. According to Cision PR Newswire, “Barbie has taken the box office by storm, earning more than $1.38 billion worldwide to become the highest-grossing film in Warner Bros.’ 100-year history; the highest-grossing film ever from a female filmmaker at the domestic box office; and is the largest worldwide film release of 2023.” The movie industry, being driven by this type of performance, will likely model future movies after the Barbie movie in an attempt to mimic its success.
What will be the next Barbie movie? Will other childhood toys be used to promote social messages? With so many unknown elements about the future of the movie industry, it is important to gain a broad understanding of both the positive and negative implications of the messages being promoted within movies in order to make informed decisions about when or how these movies should be approached with children. Is it possible for a movie to portray both positive and negative perspectives in the same message while maintaining a lighthearted and entertaining tone? Will future movies be able to find this balance, thereby maintaining the same broad appeal found in the Barbie movie?
Additional Sources Used in this Article
Young, William H. “Barbie.” Encyclopedia of American Studies. 2021. Found on Credo Reference.
Judkis, Maura and Shelly, Tan. “What Barbie’s many careers say about feminism and American girlhood.” Washington Post, 2023. Found on Gale Academic OneFile.
Young, Toby. “Barbie deserves the backlash.” Spectator. 2023. Found on Gale Academic OneFile.
